MIES, Switzerland, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- German basketball great Dirk Nowitzki headlines the FIBA Hall of Fame Class of 2026, the federation announced Sunday.
Eight figures will be honored for their individual contributions to basketball: seven players and one coach. The players are Sue Bird of the United States, France's Celine Dumerc, Clarisse Machanguana of Mozambique, Chile's Ismenia Pauchard, Hedo Turkoglu of Türkiye, China's Wang Zhizhi and Nowitzki. Ludwik Mietta-Mikolajewicz of Poland is the lone coach selected.
Nowitzki represented Germany for two decades, debuting with the youth team in 1995 and retiring from the senior squad in 2015. Bird led the United States to four World Cup titles and five straight Olympic gold medals during an illustrious career.
FIBA will hold its enshrinement ceremony in Berlin on April 21, 2026, during the draw for the 2026 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup. ■
